Xie Jingzhou paused and asked again, "When you cut open Ren Jun's stomach, did you injure his internal organs?"
Sa Meng thought hard and the cold sweat trickled down his face.
The Dali Temple was already the most heavily guarded place in Yulin. Now, with the Emperor rigorously investigating the defeat in Luoyi, even more guards were posted inside and out. He was only able to sneak in because of the Fifth Prince's informants among the guards. At that time, to avoid alarming others, he had merely cut open Ren Jun's stomach and left, truly not paying attention to whether he had injured his internal organs. Su Dan Novel Network.
Xie Jingzhou looked at the silently still Sa Meng, and his heart began to believe Ji Zizhao's words.
"Quickly go to your residence and select a few guards to escort to the Dali Temple. Investigate carefully to see if Ren Jun is truly alive. After you ascertain the truth, leave the others at the Dali Temple to monitor the situation, and say that I sent them to protect Ren Jun."
Ji Zizhao's request for him to send people to protect Ren Jun saved him a lot of trouble.
This way, he could openly monitor the situation at the Dali Temple.
Luohong did not expect their prince to actually help Ji Zizhao. "Your Highness, when the Second Prince was in Luoyi, Ren Jun was always secretly communicating with Your Highness to relay messages. If this person is not eliminated, he will surely become a grave threat."
Xie Jingzhou pinched his brow. "Do you think I don't want to kill him?"
Ji Zizhao had informed him that Ren Jun was alive and also asked him to send people to look after him. If anything were to happen to Ren Jun at this juncture, he himself would be held accountable.
If he put it nicely, it would be his guards' incompetence. If he put it harshly, he would likely be suspected.
His father was old and inherently suspicious. Now, with the incident involving his second brother, his father had become even more on edge. If his father's suspicions were to fall upon him now, all his years of effort would be in vain.
He could not afford to take this risk.
Luohong thought about Ji Zizhao's candid revelations to their prince in Zhaoyuan earlier. "Your Highness, this matter is likely deliberate on the part of the eldest young lady of the Ji family, or perhaps the eldest young lady of the Ji family has long suspected Your Highness."
Luohong still vividly remembered the look in Ji Zizhao's eyes when she spoke to her that day.
Those icy, piercing eyes that seemed to see through everything were anything but simple.
Xie Jingzhou naturally knew of Luohong's jealousy. It was precisely because of this that he became even more impatient. "If Ji Zizhao did not trust me, why would she tell me everything? Yong Mei also said herself last time that the person who locked her in the wood shed was not Ji Zizhao's subordinate, but a wet nurse from the old madam of the Ji family."
"But Your Highness..."
"Luohong, in the face of the bigger picture, put away your inappropriate thoughts. If you dare to jeopardize my grand plan, even if you are the Empress's person, I will show you no mercy."
Luohong trembled and lowered her head, daring not to speak again.
That evening, Sa Meng, accompanied by guards from the Fifth Prince's residence, arrived at the Dali Temple.
Old Madam Ren was profusely thanking the Dali Temple Minister. Although the Dali Temple Minister did not show much emotion, he did not refute the fact that Ren Jun had survived.
Sa Meng, under the guise of helping the Ren family look after Ren Jun, led his men directly to the Dali Temple prison. However, a doctor was already guarding the prison, making it difficult for Sa Meng to get too close. He could only gaze from behind the iron bars.
He saw that Ren Jun's pale complexion now had some color, and his gently rising and falling chest was exceptionally evident.
Sa Meng carefully questioned other prisoners in the cell and, upon confirming that Ren Jun had indeed survived, quickly personally conveyed the news back to the Fifth Prince.
Before Sa Meng's return, Xie Jingzhou might have been able to deceive himself.
But now, listening to Sa Meng's report, it was no exaggeration to say that Xie Jingzhou felt as though the world was spinning.
Ren Jun was alive...
This meant that his greatest fear could happen at any moment.
Most importantly!
Ren Jun himself knew who had tried to kill him. If he were to wake up and speak, where would Xie Jingzhou find a way to survive?
"This is my dereliction of duty, Your Highness may punish me as you see fit." Sa Meng knelt on the ground. Although he himself could not fathom how Ren Jun, whose stomach had been cut open, could still be alive, he had just witnessed with his own eyes that Ren Jun was breathing.
Xie Jingzhou truly wished he could run Sa Meng through with a sword, but after closing his eyes to suppress his anger, he simply said, "Although you are responsible for this matter, you are ultimately my most trusted confidant. I do not wish to see the same thing happen again. For now, you only need to await orders at the Dali Temple and obey my commands."
Sa Meng was deeply moved. He kowtowed heavily before rising to leave.
Xie Jingzhou, however, remained restless for a long time, constantly contemplating when he could make another move.
Meanwhile, Xinlan was brought before Ji Zizhao by Shuiling.
As soon as Xinlan saw Ji Zizhao, she fell to her knees heavily. "Miss, this servant knows her mistake."
On the way, Shuiling had informed Xinlan of Ren Jun's failed suicide attempt.
No matter how foolish Xinlan was, she would never believe such a coincidence existed. She had secretly let Yong Mei go to see the Fifth Prince, and then Ren Jun died in the Dali Temple...
All of this made Xinlan uneasy.
Ji Zizhao looked at the weeping Xinlan with a calm expression. "Tell me what you know."
Xinlan dared not conceal anything and confessed everything about Yong Mei begging her to see the Fifth Prince. "Yong Mei only said she was going to help Miss persuade the Fifth Prince to stay. Perhaps Yong Mei truly only had Miss's best interests at heart?"
Ji Zizhao had never expected Xinlan to be so foolish.
Ji Zizhao had kept Xinlan by her side before because she valued her kindness. However, kindness and foolishness were two different things.
"Go and guard the wood shed properly. The Fifth Prince indeed had my best interests at heart. When the Ji family is more stable, I will take you and Yong Mei to the Fifth Prince's side." Ji Zizhao no longer wished to waste any more words on Xinlan.
Xinlan, truly believing that this matter had nothing to do with her and Yong Mei, quickly nodded her thanks and hurried away.
Shuiling watched Xinlan's delighted departing back, her heart tightening. "Miss, do you really intend to banish even Sister Xinlan from the residence?"
Even if she couldn't understand what Miss was busy with, she could clearly see Miss's pretense towards the Fifth Prince. How could Miss, who detested the Fifth Prince so much, marry him?
Ji Zizhao did not expect Shuiling to be so perceptive.
"Xinlan's kindness, though foolish, is nonetheless innocent."
In Yulin, the slave system was strict.
Once a slave contract was signed, not only would the individual be a slave for life, but their offspring would also be slaves. Even the poorest ordinary families were unwilling to marry a slave.
Therefore, all servants served their masters wholeheartedly, hoping that their masters would arrange a suitable marriage for them, rather than them growing old alone.
If Xinlan were to be banished from the residence now, it would likely leave her with no means of survival.